Range finder attachment for cameras



June 20, 1939. SCHWARTZ 2,163,159

"'QRANGE FINDER ATTACHMENT FOR CAMERAS Filed July 30, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet l I ICJ.

v //C a,

ATTORNEY.

June 20, 1939. SCHWARTZ 2,163,159

RANGE FINDER ATTACHMENT FOR CAMERAS Filed July 50, 1936 s- Sheets-Shet 2 //b INVENTOR.

// M BY ATTORNEY.

June 20, 1939. SCHWARTZ 2,163,159

RANGE FINDER ATTACHMENT FOR CAMERAS \i /8 l/lr 2/ INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Patented June 20," 1939 UNITED STATES RANGE FENDER ATTACHMENT FOR CAMERAS Morris Schwartz, Brooklyn, N. Y. Application July so, 1936, Serial No. 93,503

9 Claims. (01. 95-44) Myv invention relates to a novel apparatus attachable to a camera by which means the camera may be focused with accuracy and said focusing may be accomplished in a comparatively simple manner.

My invention comprise a range finder that is adaptable to and is cos y attachable to most types of cameras.

An object of this invention is to provide means in said apparatus for observing that which appears to be two images of one single object, and

by adjusting said means in said camera to cause the viewing of the two images aforesaid to be merged into one single image. When this adjustment is accomplished, the result will be a perfect focus of the object or objects viewed by the camera aforesaid.

Other and iurther objects will appear in the specification and will be specifically pointed out in the appended claims reference being had to the accompanying drawings exemplifying the in vention in which Fig. 1 is a side view of a camera with the range finder viewing arrangement attached thereto.

Fig. 2 is a plan view section of the camera on a line 2-2 of Fig. 1 showing the sliding members that operate the range finder or viewing arrangement.

Fig. 3 is a front view of the camera on a line 3-3 of Fig. 1 showing the range finder or viewing attachment 9 in position upon said camera; also the adjusting slide levers and arms in connection therewith.

Fig. 4 is a front sectional view of the camera on a line 4-4 of Fig. 1, said view showing the manner of the connection of the sliding bar H and the sliding track of the camera. I

Fig. 5 is'a side view detail of the range finder or viewing arrangement. The viewing is made by the eye E through the aperture l Fig. 6 is a front view detail of the range finder or viewing arrangement.

Fig. 7 is a further detail view of the range finder showing the adjusting screw 5 and other ad- Fig. 12 is a detail of an attachment for simultaneously operating the slide focusing screw II) with the manipulation of the cable release 25-, said cable release operating the shutter of the lens 4. 6

Referring to the drawings, the numeral l is a camera proper, 2 is the camera bellows, 3 is the "lens board, 5 are adjusting screws on the lens board 3 for adjusting the position of the lens 4. 6 is the bed of the camera, 9 is a casing enclosing 10 the viewing attachment "or range finder proper said casing being attached to the side of the camera proper as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. Said viewing attachment is provided with two reflector mirrors, viz. the upper reflector mirror I and 5 the lower reflector mirror I. The lowerreflector mirror 1 resting upon an adjustable base 1' is provided with a solid silvered surface, said base is adjustable as to angle by means of four set screws I (see Figs. 10 and 11) 20 The upper reflector mirror i is semi-transparent, the semi-transparency aforesaid made" possible by silver coating the surface of said reflector only slightly.

The thin application of the silver coating apg5 plied upon the reflector mirror I as stated makes it possible to view directly an image other than that is reflected upon the mirrored surface. In this manner the user of the camera is enabled to view two images simultaneously of the 30 same object on the reflector 1 one image being thrown up from the lower reflector I which receives the reflection of the viewed image through the aperture 1* and the second image appearing directly from the object that is being viewed.- 35

eye E, the direct view coming through the aper- 4o ture 1 In order to merge both images into one viewing, the focussing adjustment screw ID of the camera is turned in either direction to suitably move the lens board 3 backward or forward. The aforesaid movement not only moves the lens forward and back, but also operates the mechanism of the range finder and carries with it certain attached levers and arms between the camera proper and the range finder viewing attachment. The functions of said levers and arms will be hereinafter explained.

When the images viewed on the reflector T and the direct image viewed through the viewing apertures l and 1 are merged into one im- 56 age, the object viewed is in focus, and the usual slide in grooves [9 upon the bed 6 of said camera. The lens board 3 rests upon and moves with the parallel bars aforesaid. Said lens board is attached to the bellows '2 the latter following the movement of the lens board aforesaid. The lens board 3 is provided with an infinity stop, said stop being usually adjusted for a viewing distance exceeding 100 feet on the viewing scale, the latter scale being-usually provided on all cameras to which said range finder viewing arrangement applies.

The lens board 3 is brought out or adjusted initially up to the said infinity stop, and all other adjustments are thereafter made by the rack and pinion of the camera or any other means provided on the camera for regulating the focusing distance. The foregoing adjustment as described is obtained by turning the focusing screw I0 as already mentioned.

Attached to one side of the supporting base plate I9 is a stop plate H which is secured to said base plate by means of a pair 0! screws shown in Fig, 2. Contiguous to said stop plate is a coiled spring H" which is secured to said stop plate by being looped around the pin H in the manner shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The opposite end of the spring H is looped around a pin the latter pin being secured to the slide rod N the said slide rod moving slidably in a channeled space underneath the stop plate H". The rod- H is pivotally attached to a lever arm H. A

bent rod ll is pivotally attached to the rod H.

The slide rod H aforesaid, aflords stability in the reciprocal movement of both the bent rod li and the associated lever arm H. A coiled spring H is secured between the looped bar 8 and the arm H said spring causing said lever arm II to retract to normal position on the retraction of the bellows 2 and the objective carrier 3. The latter function serves to cause said arm ll and lever H to remain resiliently and retractibly conformable to whatever position they may be moved consequent to the movement 'oi. the lens carrier aforesaid.

The purpose of the looped bar 8 with its associated arm M and lever ii is to enable an efficient linkage arrangement between the range finder proper (said range finder being mounted exteriorally on the camera body), and the lens carrier. Said linkage arrangement does not in any manner require the piercing of the camera body wall that is contiguous to the aforesaid linkage arrangement. The said looped bar 8 serves as a connecting medium between the swinging arm i5 situated within the range finder casing 9 and the lever linkage arrangement which includes the arm H and lever arm ll inside the wall of the camera body I. 4

With a linkage arrangement such as described, it is possible to mount the range finder comprising the invention upon most makes of cameras without mutilating or defacing said camera consequent to said range finder mounting. The said rod is bent over so that the rear end section 01' the parallel bar If! (Fig. 1) strikes the said bent rod and carries the latter with it when said parallel bar moves backward toward the inner section of the camera. As the parallel bar l9 moves forward, the coiled spring I I causes the bent rod and with it the lever II to fo w sa bar l8. The bent rod reaches its forward limit of travel when it strikes the inner edge of the stop plate H.

The rod I I as stated is intergrally connected to the lever arm ll. Said lever arm ispivotally connected with the arm I I and said arm in turn is pivotally connected to the looped bar 8. The looped bar 8 is secured to a swinging arm I5 that swings on a pivot provided by the screw and washer I1. The swinging arm I5 is provided at its top section with a circular boring or hole [8 through which a pin l-8 projects. (See Fig. 6 Said pin is integrally attached to the bar l8 and bears loosely in the boring or hole I8 therefore,

as the arm moves the bar 18 will also move with said arm. The base I of the reflector mirror I is pivotally attached to the reflector bar am 18 at the lower end thereof. (See Fig. 5.)

EA screw l1 having'a washer underneath said screw is mounted through an elongated slot l6 oi the swinging arm Hi, andis screwed into the adjustably slidableplate 20. The said arm I5 pivotally swings on the screw H. The sliding plate 28 is set in slidable position against the walls of the outer section of the partition 2| of the range finder 8.

The sliding plate Zlkis held in a lateral resilient position by means of the fiat spring 22., The plate '20 is adjustably moved in an upward position and against the screw 5* by means of the coiled,

springll i A retractile spring. il ls mounted between .the looped bar 8 and the arm i I as shown in Figs.

ment of the arm ll v against the pin. aforesaid upon the retraction of the objective carrier 3.

The pin l8 is integrally secured to the refiector arm 18, said reflector arm being situated in the space within the attachment! and behind the partition 2 I as shown in Fig. 6.

The adjusting plate 20 is slidably placed against justments of the screws 5 and 5 Likewise the adjustable screw 5 also serves to hold the slidable plate 20 in position and against the flat'spring '22 of said plate. The partition wall 2| is provided with an oval shaped slot 24 to provide sufficient sidewise movement of the' pin l8 which as stated is integral to the reflector arm I8 permits free movement of the plate 20 up or down, the screw I'I being free to move vertically in said The slot l6 slot when the slidable plate is being moved by I adjusting the screw 5.

The function of the arrangement shown in Fig. '7 is to provide adjustments for different sizes of lens that may be attached to a specific camera. For instance, a 6 inch lens will require a greater sweep of the bar Ii than that of a 3 inch lens; andalso a corresponding increase of leverage of the bar or arm I! will become necessary. For this reason the adjustments as shown in. Fig. '7 and described herein are made applicable to conform to different sizes of lens as stated.

The plate is slid downward said movement affecting the leverage of the bar or arm II. The

of one jointure, said jointure may either be a casting, drop forging or other substantial metallic member to hold said cable release and thescrew arrangement il in one compact and substantial unit. 1

The cable release 26* is connected to the camera lens in the usual manner.

' The operation of the camera-with said rI-nlc:

flnder arrangement attached-to the same is as";

follows: v v

The user observes the object to be photographed through the aperture 1''. 0n observing one direct image through the said apertures l and 1 and another imageof the same object viewed reflected from the reflector l to the re-- flector 1, the user turns the focusing screw il in either direction until a point is reached when both images are merged The adjustment aforesaid causes the bellows 2 to. expand or contract accordingto the focus'rqiired. With the consequent movement of the parallel bars or track I! in the grooves I! said bars carry with them the bent rod II, the slide rod ii and the lever arm Ii. This movement causes the arm ii to swing on pivot i4 and carrying with it the looped arms. The looped arm 0 causestheswinging arm I! to swing within the confines of the oval slot 24. The swing of said arm causes the reflector arm W to move being impelled through the medium of the pin II? which is attached to w when the camera is in focus boththe focusing adjustment of the lens board I and with it the lens I, and the merging of the two views on the reflector I in said range finder attachment and merged into one single view. The adjustments aforementioned are made with the adjusting screw i0 said screw performing the dual function as stated.

The focusing limit of the camera as described is not confined to the focusing limit of the range finder 9. This feature of the invention is due to the fact that when the adjusting screw i0 is turned sufficiently forward to cause the track or parallel bars I! to reach the limit stop of the rod ii, the parallel bars it may still extend outwardly and thereby moving the lens board 3 near distances.

used in normally operating the camera.

and with it the bellows 2' further forward toward the object viewed. When this action occurs the range flnder attachment adjusting means is automatically disengaged from the camera focusing means due to the fact that the forward limit stop of the rod i I had been reached as already stated.

The release of the range finder attachment adjusting means from the normal focusing arrangement of the camera is especially desirable in focusing images upon the ground glass for It is obvious that the disengagement of the range finder'attachment means as described is desirable for close ups" since a range finder of this description is not intended for near distance work,

A further feature of the invention is that it is possible to provide a means to double check the accuracy of the range finder by checking the .-latter with the viewing of the objective upon the ground glass '25 situated at the back of the camera.

Any inaccuracy on the part of the range flnder can thus be corrected by means of adjusting the screw 5' in said range finder 9.

A further feature of the invention is the adjustment of the screw 5' in said range finder, the

latter enablingcorrective adjustments to be made of the range flnder with regard to adapting the latter'to different sises,of lens. The aforesaid adjustment of the screw 0- is made without re- {moving said range flnder attachment from the camera aforesaid. I

It wiilthu's'be seen that the range flnder herein described is coupled directly to the track of the camera so that by turning the focusing screw ll not only moves the lens forward and back, but also operates the mechanism of the range finder thus automatically synchronizing it with the lens. No other motions are required than The camera is simply opened and the lens standard is brought forward to the infinity stop, the latter being common in most cameras. The. object to be photographed is then observed through the eye piece E of the range finder and the focusing screw of the camera is turned. When two separate images of the objects which are visible in a bright luminous circle are superimposed, perfeet focus is obtained. Pressure on the cable release will make the exposure and result in a critically sharp photograph.

It will also be seen from the foregoing description that this invention is capable of considerable modification without departing from the spirit of the invention. For instance, the

arm il lever arm ii and associated parts as illustrated in Fig. 7 may be modified or rearranged to perform the service of adapting said range'finder to different sizes of lens; also in the adjustment feature in merging two separate images of an object into one single image of the object aforesaid.

. Now, having described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a folding camera, an enclosed container attachable thereon, said container including therein a movable reflector and a fixed reflector for viewing objects exteriorto said camera; the viewed image of said object being thrown upon said movable reflector through an aperture in said .container, the reflection of said viewed objects upon said movable reflector being projected in turn upon said fixed refiector, said fixed refiector being silvered in a manner to render said reflector transparent to direct viewing through adjacentapertures in said container thereby producing a duplicate image of said objects upon said fixed reflector, said movable reflector movable upon a bearingwithin said container, said reflector attached to a swinging bar also within said container, said bar operably attached to and made movable by a looped bar, said looped bar projecting outwardly from said container through an opening thereof and extending astride the edge of the side wall of said camera, said looped bar pivotally attached to lever arm means, said lever arm means situated within said side wall of saidcamera and contiguous to the objective carrier of said camera, said carrier made adjustably movable by means of a focusing screw attached to the bed of said carrier and operably engaging said carrier, the adjustment thereof serving to move said carrier forward and back and likewise causing said movable reflector in said container to move correspondingly through the medium of said looped bar and lever arm means connected therewith.

2. In a folding camera, an enclosed casing exteriorally attached thereon, said casing including therein reflector viewing means, said viewing means having movable and fixed reflector elements, said movable reflector element movable upon a pivot bearing and attached to a swinging bar within said casing, said bar pivotally attached to and made movable by linked arm means extending through an opening of said casing, said linked arm means operably attached to a sliding bar, said sliding bar mounted beneath a stop plate, said stop plate mounted on the bed of said camera and contiguous to the objective carrier of said camera; spring means attached to said sliding bar tocause said bar to follow the forward movement of said carrier, a cross rod integral to' said sliding bar, said rod operably contiguous to said carrier and remaining contiguous thereto up to the stopping limit of said rod, and when said stopping limit of said rod shall have been reached said reflecting viewing means are completely disconnected from said carrier upon the further forward movement of the carrier aforesaid.

3. A range finder exteriorally attachable to a folding camera, said attachmentincluding an enclosed casing, said casing having reflector viewing means contained therein, said viewing means having movable and fixed reflector elements; a swinging'bar within said casing attached to the movable element of said reflector means, said swinging bar pivotally attached to a swinging lever arm within said casing, said lever arm moving upon a bearing also within said casing, screw means for adjustably moving the position of said bearing whereby the fulcrum relation of the swing of said lever arm may be adjusted, said lever arm attached to a loopedbar movable through an aperture in said casing, said looped bar'being looped astride the side wall of said camera and pivotally connected to linked arm means contiguous to said side camera wall, said linked arm means also contiguous to and cooperating with the means for adjusting the objective carrier of said camera within the adjusting limit of the linked arm means aforesaid.

4. In a folding camera including an objective carrier, means for adjusting said carrier, an enclosed casing attachable to said camera, said casing including reflector viewing means therein, said viewing means including stationary andmovable reflector elements, a swinging bar within said casing attached at one end thereof to the movable element of said reflector means, said swinging bar pivotally operable at the opposite end thereof with a swinging lever armwithin said casing, said lever arm movable upon a screw bearing, said bearing being secured into an adjusting plate within said casing for moving said bearing in either vertical or lateral direction, said lever arm attached to alooped bar, said looped bar extended through an opening in said casingand exterior to said camerawall and disposed astride the edge of the side of said wall, said looped bar in turn pivotally attached to linked arm means within said camera wall, said linked arm means contiguous to and moved by said means for adjusting the objective carrier aforesaid.

5. In a folding camera including its objective carrier, means for moving said carrier for focussing an objective, an enclosed casing attachable to said camera, said casing including. reflector viewing means therein, said viewing means including stationary and movable reflector elements, a swinging bar mounted within said casing and attached to the moving element of said reflector means, said swinging bar pivotally operable by a swinging lever arm, said lever arm movable upon a bearing, within said casing, said bearing afllxed into an adjusting plate also within said casing, screw adjusting means for adjusting said plate for either vertical or sidewise posiplate for the purpose of limiting the travel of I said linked arm means whereby said linked arm means may be stopped while said objective carrier means may be moved forwardly on said camera and beyond'the stopping limit of the lever linked arm means aforesaid as set forth.

7. In a range finder for a folding camera, said range finder including an enclosed casing exteriorally attachable to said camera, said casing having contained therein viewing means enabling the viewing of duplicate images of a single object through spaced apertures in said camera, said viewing means including stationary and movable reflector elements, a swinging bar pivotally mounted within said casing, said bar attached at one end thereof to the moving element of said viewing means, said swinging bar made operable through the medium of a swinging lever, said lever movable upon a bearing, said bearing affixed upon an adjustable plate within said casing, said swinging lever attached to a looped bar extending through an aperture in said casing, said bar movably disposed astride the edge of the side wall of said camera, said looped arm in turn pivotally attached'to linked arm means contiguous to and moved by means for adjusting the objective carrier of said camera within said camera wall, and screw means for adjusting" said plate thereby changing the fulcrum relation of said swinging arm whereby said swinging lever and associated looped arm and linked arm means connected thereto may be adjusted to conform to the size and type of lens mounted upon the objective carrier aforesaid.

8. In a range finder for folding camera ineluding an enclosedcasing attachable to said camera, reflector viewing means contained within said casing, said viewing means including movable and fixed reflector elements, said movable reflector element attached to a swinging arm within said casing, said swinging arm operably contiguous to movable lever arm means pivotally mounted within said casing, said lever arm means adjustable with respect to the fulcrum re- 20 9. In a range finder for folding camera including an enclosed casing attachable to said camera, reflector viewing means contained in said casing, said viewing means including movable and flxed reflector elements, said movable reflector element attached to a swinging arm pivotally mounted within said casing, said swinging arm in operable connection with movable lever arm means also mounted within said casing, the adjustment of said lever arm means made through the medium of set screws accessible from the exterior of said casing, said movable lever arm means attached to a looped bar extending through an aperture of said casing and movably disposed across the side wall of said camera, said looped bar pivotally I connected to'linked arm means slidably mounted within said camera and contiguous to and cooperating with means for adjustably moving said objective carrier of the camera aforesaid.

MORRIS SCHWARTZ. 

